The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has called for increased investment in disaster risk reduction to strengthen Ghana’s resilience and safeguard lives and property.

Speaking at the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) in Accra on Monday, October 14, the Minister said there was a need for a proactive approach to disaster management rather than relying on post-disaster responses.

Held under the theme “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” the Minister noted that investing in resilience not only saves lives but also reduces the economic cost of recovery.

Mohammed-Mubarak highlighted the progress Ghana has made in disaster risk management through projects such as the Ghana Hydrological Authority’s flood control initiatives and the Ghana Urban Resilience and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

However, he noted that more work remains to be done, particularly in integrating disaster risk reduction into local governance, improving domestic funding for resilience efforts, and strengthening public-private partnerships to drive innovation in risk reduction.

The Acting Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, reaffirmed NADMO’s commitment to modernising the country’s emergency response systems.

He urged citizens to support the organisation as the government continues to transform its operations to build a safer, more resilient Ghana.